June 29, 2009

caaaaaalliiifornniaaaa

wow, where to begin...

i started the drive from ashland... about an hour later, i couldn't believe it! "Welcome to California." did you know i love signs welcoming you into states? the produce check at the border was far less intense than i expected, since i imagined having all my belongings searched and being drilled with questions. instead, it took all of 10 seconds: "ma'am, do you have any fresh fruits or vegetables?" "yes, apple" "just apples?" "yep". and basta. that was it. (in case you don't know, basta is one of the best ways to say enough. italian, naturally).

a lot of the drive looks like this:

and there is always the gorgeous mt. shasta to greet you just past the oregon border.

sadly, this is the last nice thing you see for hours and hours. my friend chris once told me that the places in california that you can afford to live, you wouldn't want to. now, i heard that and thought "you ass, every part of cali must be paradise!" but nope. driving through seemingly endless desert in 106 degree weather (yes, seriously, that was the temperature with some parts of the valley reaching 116) (thank god for a.c. in my car). I have to say though, that since i had never before driven 3 hours at once, i certainly feel like a serious bad ass. which, naturally, it turns out i am!!

i finally got to my hostel, just outside yosemite, around 8. The yosemite bug is unlike any other hostel i've stayed in. not only were the rooms super clean and the guest friendly, they have an amazing cafe with delicious organic food like ratatouille on pilaf and also a spa!! since its only 45 min from my amazing lodgings (wait, darlings, wait for it), me thinks after a stressful week i'm gonna go get a massage!

today was my first day on the job. boy is it hot out here; working in what feels like an oven makes me feel that much more badass. or is it dehydrated? i'm the only chick really, which suits me juuuuussssttt fiiiiiiiinnnneee. i feel honored to be one of very few amongst the new generation to have this amazing skill set passed down to me. in case you didn't already know, i'm working my dream job here, doing restoration carpentry and masonry on yosemite's historic structures. italian friends will be reading this, puzzled, and i'm gonna have to remind you all that on the west coast, 1930s = historic. i'm helping make the crown molding for a ski cabin we're restoring!

i was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of having to share a room and live with 3 other people, i have my very own motor-inn cabin from the 1920s. its very very me.

speaking of.... me thinks me is tired. me had best return to said motor-inn cabin. i hope to post again soon, but my access to internet is so far limited. don't hate me, just envy me!!